What's wrong with my Fancy Goldfish?

[KatieBunky]

This is my not-so-little-anymore girl, Squeak and she is 6 years old. See that black liquid stuff in her eyes? She's blind. She wasn't born with no sight, she developed it a year or so ago & no one knows why. I don't know if these pictures are very good but can you see how her tail fins are a very whiteish orange & how where her eye joins her head is white? I'm really hoping someone knows what that is. The reason I mentioned her being blind is because to me, it looks like she is slowly starving to death. She can't see her food so it is harder for her to eat. That's just my guess considering as fish go white when they die. If anyone knows what's going on with Squeak then please comment, even if you're unsure. Thanks a lot!
P.S. the yellow near her eye is food, just to be clear
P.P.S. I came downstairs this morning to find all of my zebra danios dead & they all had red, inflamed bellies. I recently added a smaller goldfish as you can see in one of the pictures a few weeks ago from a fairground & I did a water change today. Just thought I'd say all the details since this illness happened.

 

[Tank Girl]

What size tank? Can you provide any water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph? How often and how much do you change the water?

 

[dcutl002]

For all of your Zebra Danios to be dead at once with red bellies red flags should be going up as far as water quality.

 

[jlk]

What size tank? Can you provide any water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph? How often and how much do you change the water?

+1

We really need more information in order to be able to help you better. Tank size, stocking, parameters and water change schedule are a good place to start!

 

[KatieBunky]

Er tank is probably 20-25 litres, I do a 50% water change every two weeks, currently have a comet goldfish, 2 fantails & a plec. I don't have any information about water parameters & wouldn't be able to get it tested for at least two weeks. I know you're not meant to keep goldfish in a smaller tank but they've never really moved much, they just sorta sit, they've always done that & they did that with their previous owner too. Now the tank is down to four fish I'm going to keep it like that. I'm hoping a water change will do the trick

 

[KatieBunky]

I'd just like to point out that I inherited the tank with the male fantail, plec & 5 guppies. I just didn't want you guys thinking I was cruel & throwing a whole load of fish in without thinking

 

[KatieBunky]

Also, I'm pretty overrun with those snails that you sometimes get when you've added a new plant. Don't know if that relates to it. My comet goldfish is also from the fairground so I don't know if he had a disease or anything? Just trying to think of everything that's wrong with my tank to give you more information. Oh there's also a lot of limescale & algae on the lid that sometimes falls into the tank. But it does that in my tropical tank & half my fish don't die each time it happens so there's probably no link there. I don't know, let me know what you all think.

 

[KatieBunky]

I meant 50 litres. Just measured it

 

[KatieBunky]

Just found some test strips so water parameters are:
Nitrate- 20
Nitrite- 0
pH- 7
Carbonate hardness- 240
General hardness- 120
I do live in an area where the water is very hard & I don't really know how to change that. But if you know what the parameters mean, let me know

 

[dcutl002]

Throw some peat pellets in the filter. That will bring the hard water down some.

 

[KatieBunky]

Just went to a fish store & the guy said it might be fungal there gave me a bottle of melafix & and a bottle of stress zyme. Can I use them both at the same time? I forgot to ask him when I bought the stuff.

 

[Tank Girl]

50 liters is only about 13 gallons, and unfortunately, that's not nearly enough room for even one of the goldfish. Healthy goldfish are active and shouldn't always "sit". The comet belongs in a pond and I wouldn't have a pleco in with them, either. You will only have problems trying to keep them in an environment that small. They need very large tanks, large weekly water changes and heavy filtration. If you do a search on this site, you'll find a lot of information already written that will be of great help to you. Please feel free to ask questions!

 

[Tank Girl]

Regarding StressZyme and Melafix, you can try them, but they probably won't help much. They really need a healthier environment.

 

[KatieBunky]

Unfortunately, they'll have to stay in the tank they're in. I don't have the money, space or permission from my parents to get a bigger tank. I'm just going to try the medicine & if it doesn't help then I'll have to euthanase Squeak. Sad outcome for the little girl really

 

[Tank Girl]

I completely understand if you can't get a bigger tank. Is it possible to re-home them instead? It would be better than letting them die. I wish it wasn't so, but there are no medications that can overcome bad conditions, and often medications that would help won't work if the water quality is poor.

 

[KatieBunky]

They're not in bad conditions though... the tank is clean, they have very healthy plants, they've just got a new filter, they have an airstone. The only bad thing is the nitrates/nitrites & the water harndness & the guy at my pet store saif it wouldn't bother them. No offence or anything, but I don't see how that is bad conditions. I have no one who could take them seeing as I'm in secondary school & most of my friends care more about themselves than other people & animals. Sorry I snapped but I get really ticked off when people jump to conclusions about the conditions of my tank.

 

[KatieBunky]

Meant to write said* not saif

 

[Tank Girl]

You did say "if anyone knows what's going on". I'm not trying to offend you, only inform you. I truly am trying to help and in no way am I judging you. I am a goldfish keeper of many years and I know what they need to thrive and grow. There are just too many living creatures in that small tank to be healthy.

If somebody at the fish store told you nitrites are not going to hurt your fish, they out and out LIED to you. They are DEADLY. Nitrates can be harmful, but if you keep them at least under 40, you should be ok.

 

[KatieBunky]

I've always had high nitrates in all of my tanks over the past 8 years I've been keeping them & the fish have been fine. How am I meant to lower these "deadly" nitrates then?

 

[Tank Girl]

Water changes. Large, regular water changes. Nitrites are deadly as is ammonia. Nitrates are not as bad, but can be in high enough concentrations.